Power transmission device

ABSTRACT

A power transmission device for connecting a rotation shaft with a mechanism for converting rotational movement into reciprocal movement. The rotation shaft is concentrically accommodated in a rotation shaft sleeve having an outer wall with a circumferential groove. A connecting sleeve, with a plurality of circumferentially arranged through-holes with a ball mounted in each through-hole, slidably receives the rotation shaft sleeve. A sliding sleeve having a circularly formed internal recess is mounted over the connecting sleeve and is slidable to position the balls in the through-holes such as to either connect or disconnect the connecting sleeve from the rotation shaft sleeve.

This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 08/025,305 filedMar. 2, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,562, which is a divisionalapplication of Ser. No. 07/871,421 filed Apr. 21, 1992, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,237,884.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cutting device which is suitable forcutting and/or amputating fine bones of hands and feet of humans andanimals.

In dental treatment, tooth cutting is carried out by using cutting toolsto be driven by a micromotor rotating at high speed. In recent years,with the progress of subdivision of medical areas and specialization ofmedical technology, there have appeared specialists, for example, forthe medical treatment of hands or feet only. In medical treatment ofhands or feet it is also necessary to carry out operations such as boneamputation or cutting, but no cutting device which is suitable for usein medical treatment of hands or feet, has been developed. Everyspecialist feels inconvenienced not having it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a cuttingdevice which is suitable for amputating or cutting fine bones of handsor feet of humans and animals.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a powertransmission device which converts rotation of a rotation shaft intoreciprocal movement along the axis of the rotation shaft.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a powertransmission device which converts rotation of a rotation shaft intoreciprocal turning movement about the same axis as that of the rotationshaft.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a powertransmission device which converts rotation of a rotation shaft intoreciprocal turning movement in the direction perpendicular to the axisof the rotation shaft in a plane parallel to the axis of the rotationshaft.

The above-mentioned features and other advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following detailed description whichgoes with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional construction view for explaining an embodiment ofa power transmission device according to the present invention, which isused for converting rotation of a rotation shaft into reciprocalmovement in the axial direction of said rotation shaft.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a power transmissiondevice for converting rotation of a rotation shaft into reciprocalmovement in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, wherein therotating portion and the reciprocating portion are steadily coupled witheach other so that the latter may not slip out from the former.

FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are views for explaining an embodiment of a powertransmission device for converting rotation of a rotation shaft intoreciprocal turning movement about the same axis as that of the rotationshaft: FIG. 3(a) is a sectional view and FIG. 3(b) an exploded view inperspective of a part of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a power transmissiondevice for converting rotation of a rotation shaft into reciprocalturning movement in the direction perpendicular to the axis of therotation shaft in a plane parallel thereto.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V--V of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view for explaining an embodiment of a powertransmission device for converting rotational movement of a rotationshaft into reciprocal movement along the rotation shaft's axis. In FIG.1, numeral 1 denotes a rotation shaft connected to a rotation shaft tobe driven by, for example, a micromotor known (not shown) for use indental treatment, 2 a bevel gear mounted on the top of the rotationshaft 1, 3 a second rotation shaft being rotatable about an axisperpendicular to the axis of the rotation shaft 1 by means of a secondbevel gear 4 mounted on the second rotation shaft and meshing with thebevel gear 2. The rotation shaft 3 is provided with two eccentric shafts3a and 3b arranged at 180° apart from each other about the axis of therotation shaft 3. A link at its one end engages the eccentric shaft 3aand at its opposite end engages a pin 5 whereto a first-reciprocatingmember 6 is connected. A guide pin 7 is provided so as to assure smoothmovement of the reciprocating member 6. A chucking member 8 threadedlyengages the reciprocating member 6. A sawing plate 9 is inserted intothe chucking member 8 in a loosened state and is secured to the secondreciprocating member 6 by tightening the chucking member 8.

A link 10 engages at its one end with the eccentric shaft 3b and at itsopposite end with a pin 11 whereon the second reciprocating member 12 ismounted.

Accordingly, when the rotation shaft 1 rotates, its rotational movementis transmitted to the second rotation shaft 3 through the bevel gears 2and 4, whereby the eccentric shafts 3a and 3b revolve. The eccentricrevolution of the eccentric shaft 3a in the direction perpendicular tothe shown section of FIG. 1 is absorbed by the pin 5 and only itsreciprocal movement in the lateral direction, i.e. the axial directionof the rotation shaft 1 is transmitted to the first reciprocating member6, whereby the sawing plate 9 reciprocates along the axis indicate byarrows A to cut a bone or the like by its cutting teeth. At the sametime, revolution of the eccentric shaft 3b through the link 10 and thepin 11 is transmitted to the second reciprocating member 12 whichreciprocally moves along the same axis but in the opposite direction inrelation to the reciprocating member 6 because the eccentric shafts 3aand 3b are located 180° apart in relation to the axis of rotation shaft3. Namely, while the first reciprocating member 6 moves to the left (orthe right), the second reciprocating member 12 moves to the right (orthe left). The second reciprocating member 12 acts as a damping memberfor the first reciprocating member 6. In other words, it serves as abalancer of the rotating shaft 3, which makes rotation of the shaft 3stabilized so as to ensure smooth reciprocation of the sawing plate 9.

As apparent from the foregoing description, according to the presentinvention it is possible to provide the power transmission device whichis capable of converting rotational movement of a rotation shaft intoreciprocal movement along the axis of the rotation shaft, assuring moresmooth reciprocation.

However, since the above-mentioned cutting tool is of such a type whichmoves reciprocally in the direction indicated by arrows A and therotation shaft 1 is coupled with a conventional handpiece for use indental treatment, it is feared that the reciprocating portion may bedisconnected from the rotation shaft portion during operation of thedevice.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view for explaining an embodiment of a connectingportion of the device, by which the above-mentioned problem was solved.In FIG. 2, a rotation shaft side and reciprocating portion side areindicated by numerals I and II respectively. A rotation shaft 20 in adental handpiece is driven by a micromotor (not shown) mounted in apower section and located in a center of a sleeve 21 having a peripheralgroove 21a formed externally thereon. A mechanism for convertingrotational movement of the rotation shaft 20 into the reciprocalmovement in the axial direction of the shaft 20 comprises a connectingsleeve 30 that accommodates therein the rotation shaft 1 connected atits one end to the rotation shaft 20 and has a plurality of throughholes 30a arranged in the circumferential direction thereof. The sleeve21 is slidably inserted in the axial direction in the connecting sleeve30. A ball 40 is placed in each through-hole 30a of the connectingsleeve 30. The connecting sleeve 30 is accommodated in a sliding sleeve50 which is slidable in its axial direction along the external surfaceof the connecting sleeve 30 and can be located at any of two positions50a and 50b. This sliding sleeve 50 has an internally concaved portion50c having an inner diameter D1 larger than an outer diameter DO of theconnecting sleeve 30. The sliding sleeve 50 is positioned at the firstfixing position 50b (see the lower half of FIG. 2) with a concavedportion 50c placed opposite to the balls 40 (see the lower half of FIG.2), and the sleeve 21 is inserted into the connecting sleeve 30 in sucha way that the balls 40 are fitted in the circular groove 21a of thesleeve 21 (see the upper half of FIG. 2). Then, the sliding sleeve 50 islocated at the second fixing position 50a in such a way that the ball 40is placed in the circular groove 21a under the pressure of the innerwall surface of the sliding sleeve 50 (see the upper half of FIG. 2).This eliminates the possibility of disconnection of the connectingsleeve 30 from the sleeve 21.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment the rotation shaft portion I andreciprocating portion II are securely connected with each other by meansof the balls 40 and the sliding sleeve 50 so as not to cause thereciprocating portion II to slip off from the rotor shaft portion Iduring operation of the device for converting the rotational movement ofthe rotation shaft 20 into reciprocal movement along the axis of therotor shaft 20.

FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are views of a principal part of a powertransmission device embodying the present invention, which is capable ofconverting rotational movement of a rotation shaft into reciprocalturning movement about the same axis as that of the rotator shaft. InFIG. 3(a), numeral 1 designates a rotation shaft to be connected to arotation shaft driven by, for example, a micromotor for use in dentaltreatment.

Rotation of the rotation shaft 1 is transmitted through inclinedrotation transmitting device 61 to a second rotation shaft 62eccentrically positioned in relation to the rotation shaft 1. Thisrotation shaft 62 at its front end has a bearing 63 which rotates withan eccentricity to the second rotation shaft 62 as shown in FIG. 3(b)and causes rocking of a rockable member 64 which at its side opposite tothe bearing 63 has a concaved portion 64a having the same width in theX--X direction as the diameter of the bearing 63 and of the width in theY--Y direction larger than the maximum eccentricity of the bearing 63.The bearing 63 is fitted in the concaved portion 64a. Accordingly, whenthe second rotation shaft 62 rotates, the rockable member 64reciprocally revolves about the axis 64b in the X--X direction. Therockable member 64 is supported by supporting member 65, for example, asfitted in a hollow hole 65a thereof. The supporting member 65 isrotatably mounted in a fixing member 67 by means of a bearing 66.

In FIG. 3(a), 68 is a bearing fixing side member, 69 is a washer, 70 isa fixing bolt and 9 is a sawing plate. The supporting member 65 has thehollow hole 65a with a thread 65b for threadedly engaging fixing bolt70. The sawing plate 9 can be secured at its end between the bearingfixing member 68 and the washer 69 by tightening the bolt 70. While therotation shaft 1 rotates, the sawing plate 9 together with thesupporting member 65 reciprocally moves in the direction perpendicularto the section shown in FIG. 3.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the preferred embodimentmakes it possible to transmit rotation of the rotation shaft 1 to thecoaxially therewith mounted rotary supporting member 65 which in turncoaxially and reciprocally moves. Accordingly, when the sawing plate 9having cutting teeth is secured to the rotary supporting member 65 ofthe device, the sawing blade can reciprocally move at a high speed so asto easily cut bones and the like.

FIG. 4 is a sectional construction view (a section taken on line IV--IVof FIG. 5) of the principal part of an embodiment of the powertransmission device for converting rotational movement of a rotationshaft effectively into reciprocal turning movement in the directionperpendicular to the axis of the rotation shaft in a plane parallelthereto, and FIG. 5 is a section taken on line V--V of FIG. 4, whereinnumeral 1 designates a rotation shaft adapted to be connected with arotation shaft driven by a conventional micromotor, for example, for usein dental treatment.

Rotation shaft 1 has a recess 1b eccentrically formed in its top end 1a,wherein a single-shielded bearing 81 is rockably fitted at its outerrace 81a and has a link 82 secured in its inner race 81b. When therotation shaft 1 rotates, the recessed potion 1b eccentrically revolvesto spin the link 82 being supported at its end in inner race 81b of thebearing 81. The link 82 is connected at its other end with a pin 83 to arotatable plate 84 which is connected to a rotatable rod 85 in such away to be rotated as one unit. A pressure plate 86 is connected to thetop end of the link 82 so as to be rockable as one unit. 87 is a fixingnut and 9 is a sawing plate having cutting teeth 9a at its top end. Therotatable rod 85 has a driver groove 85a formed in its head for turningthe rotatable rod 85 and has a lower portion threaded for engaging thefixing nut 87 which can be firmly locked with its projection 87a fittedin a groove formed at the lower portion of rotatable plate 84. When therotatable rod 85 is turned in the tightening direction by using, e.g. acoin inserted in the groove 85a of the rod 85, the rod 85 moves thefixing nut 87 upward to clamp the sawing plate 9 between the rotatableplate 84 and the pressure plate 86. When the rotatable rod 85 is turnedin the opposite direction, a gap between the rotatable plate 84 and thepressure plate 86 is widened to allow removal of the sawing plate 9.

In the embodiment described above, the rotating shaft 1, the pin 83 andthe rotatable rod 85 have their axes at right angles to each other, sothat the rockable plate 84 is prevented from moving upward and downward(in direction A of FIG. 4) by the rotatable rod 85 and movement in thisdirection (A) can be absorbed by the eccentric movement of the link 82which is pivotally connected to the rotatable plate 84 with the pin 83.

Movement in the direction perpendicular to the section of FIG. 4, i.e.in direction B shown in FIG. 5, can not be absorbed by the pin 83 and befully transmitted to the rotatable plate 84. However, the rotatableplate 84 rotates in ball bearings 90 and 91 together with rotatable rod85 in a supporting portion 89, whereby the sawing plate 9 rotates aboutthe rotatable rod 85. It will therefore be appreciated that, althoughthere is oscillatory movement of plate 84 about the axis of rotatablerod 85, such oscillatory movement consists primarily of a component ofsuch movement in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5, with an additionalminor component of such movement in the horizontal direction of FIG. 5,that is, parallel to the axis of shaft 1. Thus, an effectivelyreciprocatory movement is obtained, which is perpendicular to the axisof pin 83 and perpendicular to the axis of shaft 1.

As is apparent from the foregoing, in the embodiment described it ispossible to convert rotational movement of the rotation shafteffectively into reciprocal movement in a direction perpendicular to therotation shaft axis and in a plane parallel to or containing therotation shaft axis. Consequently, by using the device in which a platehaving cutting teeth at its top end is mounted, it is possible to cut orcut off a bone or the like with the cutting plate by moving the deviceas if a vertical line is drawn with a pencil. The cutting plate 9 can bemounted in the device at a desired angle as shown in FIG. 5.

I claim:
 1. A power transmission device for connection of a rotationshaft with a mechanism for converting rotational movement of therotation shaft into reciprocal movement in an axial direction of therotation shaft, the rotation shaft being concentrically accommodated ina rotation shaft sleeve having an outer wall with a groovecircumferentially formed therein, said device comprising:a connectingsleeve for slidably receiving the rotation shaft sleeve therein, saidconnecting sleeve including a wall having a plurality of through-holesextending therethrough and circumferentially arranged therearound; aball mounted in each of said through-hole; a sliding sleeve mounted overthe connecting sleeve and having a circularly formed internal recess ofan inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the connectingsleeve, the sliding sleeve being freely slidable without any externalbiasing force thereon in an axial direction thereof with respect to saidconnecting sleeve between a first position with the balls placed in therecess and the rotation shaft sleeve inserted in the connecting sleeveand a second position having an inner wall thereof pressing the balls inthe circumferential groove of the rotation shaft sleeve so as to preventdisconnection of the connecting sleeve from the rotation shaft sleevewithout any said external biasing force on said sliding sleeve.
 2. Apower transmission device according to claim 1, wherein said inner wallof said sliding sleeve has a substantially constant inner diameter.
 3. Apower transmission device according to claim 2, wherein said inner wallof said sliding sleeve lies substantially flush against an outer surfaceof said connecting sleeve.
 4. A power transmission device according toclaim 1, wherein said circularly formed internal recess is formed at anend of said sliding sleeve.